Exam 4: Plato the Beginning of Everything

Paley says, "Nor, fifthly, would it yield his inquiry more satisfaction to be answered, that there existed in things a ______________, which had disposed the parts of the watch into their present form and situation."

Pascal says, "If there is a God, He is infinitely incomprehensible."

Anselm says that "there exists a being, than which nothing greater can be conceived, and it exists both in the understanding and in reality." Why is the difference between the two italicized terms? Do you agree with Anselm? Explain your answer.

Explain the criticism of Descartes when he says "that without knowledge of non-deceiving God he does not see how he can ever be certain of anything."

Parsons says, "Since God created nature and human beings, it must follow that God, at least indirectly, is the creator of both natural and moral evil."

For Berkeley, "The ideas of Sense are more strong, lively, and distinct than those of the imagination . . . in a regular train or series, the admirable connection whereof sufficiently testifies the wisdom and benevolence of its ..."

Berkeley claims that "it is evident that God is known as certainly and immediately as any other mind or spirit whatsoever distinct from ourselves." Do you agree with Berkeley?

Descartes says, "for it is not in my power to conceive a God without spirit, that is a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection, as I am free to imagine a horse with or without wings."

According to Cleanthes, "There is no being, therefore, whose non-existence implies a contradiction. Consequently there is no being, whose existence is demonstrable."

Joyce claims that "The advance of scientific discovery, the gradual improvement of the organization of the community, the growth of material civilization-all these are due in no small degree to the stimulus afforded by ..."

Berkeley says that "The ideas imprinted on the Senses by the Author of nature are called perceptions; and those excited in the imagination being less regular, vivid, and constant, are more properly termed visions or images of things, which they copy and represent."

Nietzsche claims that most humans think it is impossible to accept that a moral system can be acceptable without a proof for God's existence.

Leibniz claims that there are two kinds of truths; the first, truths of _________, are necessary and their opposite is impossible.

According to Cleanthes, "Nothing is demonstrable, unless the contrary implies a ..."

Descartes says, "And although the right conception of this truth has cost me much close thinking, nevertheless at present I feel not only as assured of it as of what I deem most certain, but I remark further that the certitude of all other truths is so absolutely dependent on it that without this knowledge it is impossible ever to know anything perfectly." What is Descartes referring to in the italicized phrase?

Conway says, "Likewise, in God there can exist no passion, which to speak properly comes from his creatures: For every passion is something temporal."

Masham says, "It is indeed only a __________________, and desire to approve ourselves to him, that will teach us in all things, uniformly to live as becomes our reasonable nature; to enable us to do which, must be the great business and end of a religion which comes from God."

According to Descartes, "Will it be said that perhaps I am dreaming (an objection I lately myself raised), or that all the thoughts of which I am now conscious have no more truth than the reveries of my dreams? But although, in truth, I should be dreaming, the rule still holds that all which is clearly presented to my intellect is indisputably true."

Explain Masham's point when she asserts that "An irrational religion can never rationally be conceived to come from God."

Descartes relies on two criteria which he calls "clear and distinct ideas." First, explain what Descartes means by these criteria; second, explain why you agree or disagree with Descartes that the two criteria are adequate for his arguments for the existence of God.